1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, and an information processing program, and more particularly, to an information processor, information processing method and an information processing program, adapted to execute a desired processing by a simple operation using a jog dial for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there have been proposed operating systems for a computer including peripheral devices such as a mouse, keyboard, video display, etc. and a central processing unit (CPU). Typical ones of such operating systems are Windows 95 and Windows 98 (trademark), trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation, USA. These operating systems provide a taskbar for each application having an active window, by which the user can have visual mnemonics like buttons. The technique directed to the use of such a taskbar is disclosed in detail in the Japanese Published Application No. 8-255066.
The use of the taskbar will further be described below by referring to the above Japanese Published Application. Serving as a visual mnemonic, the taskbar can be used to give the user information on a currently active window and display the active window. The taskbar includes a start menu button for enabling the user to access a menu in order to control program launching, document opening and system setting.
Operation of the start menu button on the taskbar in a computer system includes examples which will be described herebelow. The start menu button opens a start menu as a home position for the user to access a program, document, system setting information, help information, etc. By moving the mouse until the on-screen cursor points to the start menu button and clicking on the left button of the mouse, the start menu will be opened on the screen.
The start menu includes menu items such as “PROGRAM”, “FIND”, “SET”, “HELP”, etc. Selecting the “PROGRAM” menu item in the start menu will permit access from the start menu to a program menu having a hierarchical structure. The program menu includes a plurality of user-selectable application programs and program groups.
It should be reminded that after the user selects a desired application program in the task bar with the start menu button, he or she will have to repeat complicated operations until the selected application program starts to run.
That is, first the user moves the mouse to point the on-screen cursor to the start menu button on the taskbar and clicks on the left button of the mouse to open the start menu. Next, the user moves the mouse to point the cursor to the menu item “PROGRAM” in the start menu and clicks on the left mouse button to open the program menu. Then, the user moves the mouse to point the cursor to a desired application program displayed in the program menu and clicks on the left mouse button. In case the user has selected an application program group in the same manner, the user will have to repeatedly point the cursor and click on the mouse cursor. Thereafter, the CPU will put the desired application program into run.
As in the above, the user has to repeat such complicated operations until his desired application program starts to run. Namely, the taskbar is not any easy tool as a user interface. This is also true for doing a desired operation by clicking a menu item such as “HELP” in the start menu program.
Also, the taskbar cannot implement any user's desire to readily view an electronic mail in the computer or to start a desired application software.